


Hanging Bones

by CherLnIDA



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Fridge Horror, Guns, Hate Sex, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Psychological Horror, References to Drugs, Rough Sex, Side Effects, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:07:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24064063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherLnIDA/pseuds/CherLnIDA
Summary: Dib is finally frustrated with the world not being there for him; he does the unthinkable and starts planning to make an army of misfits and outcasts, ones that were pushed aside and want to correct the world as much as he does with Zim by his side as his second in command, but, there's just one problem...Keef is killed by Dib. People are starting to notice...
Relationships: Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 56





	1. Unneeded Sacrifice

Hanging Bones 

By Cherilyn Ohlau 

Invader Zim is owned by Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon 

Warning: Disturbing and violent content, physical violence; please don't use this fiction to encourage or justify any violence towards a loved one or a stranger. This is an AU. 

  
  


Karma police

I've given all I can

It's not enough

I've given all I can

But we're still on the payroll

This is what you'll get

This is what you'll get

This is what you'll get

When you mess with us

For a minute there

I lost myself, I lost myself

Phew, for a minute there

I lost myself, I lost myself

For a minute there

I lost myself, I lost myself

Phew, for a minute there

I lost myself, I lost myself

\- Radiohead ("Karma Police")

We think we've come so far

On all our lies we depend

We seen our consequence

This is the beginning of the end

\- Nine Inch Nails ("Beginning of the End")

  
  


**Part One Unneeded Sacrifice**

Zim had noticed Dib wasn't in class, nor was Keef, which felt odd as Dib never broke his attendance record. He might've been a little late in terms of highschool hours, but he was never absent unless it was either their rivalry, Dib getting the occasional sickness, or having to join his father for a presentation. Zim felt...oddly drawn to the wooden desk Dib had left vacant, as though it was a chest with a lock, and he couldn't help himself to examine it further after school; from afar, it looked like any other desk stump, fake wood atop a metal holding but, once Zim grazed his gloves on the top he noticed in tiny scratches by the use of some sort of blade, or by constant grinding of a pen there were numbers and formulas. Zim looked perplexed, these were not homework notes, Dib was deliberately chicken scratching in formulas for volatile chemicals.

Zim felt as though needles were in his throat as he slowly pulled the desk up; he almost choked as he saw a notebook that had an X on the cover in black marker, and begrudgingly sealed with a small lock. Zim easily unlocked it using a spider limb, and plans and lists spilled out. They were blacklists of student and staff names, and printed manuals about purchasing weapons and holding guns the correct way, yet, this wasn't a plan for a public massacre. These were plans of killing and torturing each soul in Dib's life who brought him to the brink. 

Zim gave off a weary chuckle; not on this earth could Dib possibly pull this off, but it wasn't implausible for human youth to cave to dark thoughts. It was an unearthly autopilot that shut off the senses and humans became bloodthirsty beasts who worshipped other beasts. Zim hastily put the lock back and shut the desk once he heard running, making it all the more awkward when Dib stumbled in with blood on his palms and splatters decorated his blue shirt and white socks, and his black leather boots looked more blacker from the red that covered him. 

"Dib?!" Zim exclaimed, his breathing felt like it was hanging.

"Z-Zim...Zim...I...I fucked up…" 

Zim wanted to quip "you did more than that" but held back the urge to be sarcastic. Dib was covered in blood, he could tell it wasn't Dib's, but he reeked like pennies but Zim also caught scratches of a struggle and a clump of Dib's hair had been pulled. "So...this is what your sulking has led up to," Zim replied in somewhat admiration that Dib had actually killed another, "You were always pretty docile. I didn't think you could…" 

"No, no," Dib was breathing in hysterics, "I...this wasn't intended." 

"What wasn't intended?" 

"Th-the killing! Oh God, I panicked! I told Keef not to play the hero, ju-just stay down, a-a-and listen to me...but he didn't! He jumped me, and...and..." Dib moaned in guilt, "I stabbed him so much and had to shoot him three times!" Zim was at awe at the blunt confession, and the furious nature kept for so long, "I didn't mean to do it...I didn't…" Dib sobbed. Zim tapped his chin before holding Dib's shoulders, he could feel the young man trembling underneath. 

"What do you expect me to do, turn you in?" Zim asked, "Help you with the corpse?" 

Dib could barely answer, what came out were just small whimpers and breaths of a guilty conscience that hung in the air. Zim's expression of doubt curled into a smug smile, "Is this the _real_ you? I don't expect you to lie as I already examined your desk contents. I...see now that you're different; please tell me your plans, I want to be part of this. I want to see the humans scatter." Dib glared, it felt menacing and cold, even Zim felt a chill go up his spine at the blood splattered youth's gaze. 

"I did plan to kill you after disposing of Keef's corpse." 

Zim gave a casual shrug at the reply, "Of course you did, but you know Dib, you're not the only one with toys." Dib felt blindsided as he was pinned against the wall and nearly held up to the ceiling with branches of sharp metal spider limbs. Zim had altered his PAK limbs slightly, although the extras weren't needed, the mere six weren't enough anymore, there were nearly twelve or sixteen...the last four danced in the air like a spider observing it's meager prey. Dib pulled a knife from his bag but he felt a limb stab itself into his hand like a puncture. 

"Ugh...let me down Zim…" 

The other delicate spider limb handed Zim the knife as he examined it, "Not until you say yes and agree with me to help you. I don't do well with backstabbing little monkey's, and I sure won't let this miserable attempt go unnoticed if you say no." 

"What makes you no better?" Dib seethed. 

" _No better?"_ Zim echoed, laughing, "At this moment we're not so different. I merely want what you want, the humans to suffer and kneel. Isn't that what you want?" Dib sighed in agreement and felt the limbs retract. He hastily took the knife and left another glare of daggers onto Zim, before begrudgingly showing the cadaver at Keef's home. Zim smugly declared he would take care of it as Dib barked at him to meet at the abandoned hotel at the edge of town. 

It didn't have a name anymore, the hotel was just an empty husk with the sign saying _Hel n R s Hotel_ in a cursive old neon. Dib hacked into it to have energy and water, he went through extra levels to build prison cells out of nurseries inside, getting new mattresses, pillows and beds, fortifying it into an urban fortress. Zim was amazed at the dedication, Dib had future plans for recruiting as far as he could tell. Zim found Dib at one of the nursery prisons with Meef, blood on his colorful puppy shirt and sleeping unconscious in the corner in handcuffs. Dib looked so different, sitting on the bed, his legs spread and blowing a cigarette in new clothes because his old ones were stained; leather clad with chains and buckles, putting on a mask to look tough in front of Zim. Zim scowled at the attempt of intimidation. Even if Dib put on a tiger pelt and smoked a cigar, Zim's nerve wasn't shaken by appearances.

"You look ridiculous," Zim replied bluntly.

Dib bit his lip, his boot tapping in irritation, "What about the body?"

Zim shrugged, "Done with. Why are you dressed like that?"

"It makes me feel good, okay?!" Dib snarled, "Now just shut up and listen to my orders! I'll shoot you right now if you don't—" It took a while to register that Dib had a gun to his hip. Zim wasn't used to earth's blunt weaponry, how barbaric and primitive, and Dib was a ticking time bomb. Zim placed his hands to Dib's hips, blocking him from the weapon. 

"Do you _mind_ not being not so blithering trigger happy, Dib beast?! I'm your partner in these plans!" Zim hissed, "If you shoot me now, who's going to help you then?" Dib sighed and rubbed his forehead, letting go of the gun, at least for now. Meef stirred with a small groan, before looking around at what was once a place for children, and noticing the white bars and locks with chains. Meef at first didn't recognize Dib, until he recognized those chilling gold eyes and his scythe hair that was now sagging to one side.

"You...you killed my brother...I...I saw it!" Meef yipped. Dib dropped his cigarette on the ground before grinding it with his shoe. 

"I'm surprised you still remember that, after I punched you out," Dib replied dryly, "You're sure resilient for a fifteen year old." Meef struggled more in his cuffs. Zim rolled his eyes and gestured to the middle schooler. 

"Why's he here?" Zim felt insulted at the sight of Meef in handcuffs, there could've been bigger targets for hostages. 

"I didn't want him to call the cops."

Such a typical human response. "What about Meef's parent units?" Zim asked, but Meef answered first. 

" _You leave mom and dad alone!"_ he yelled. 

Zim's eyes widened and slapped Dib hard across the cheek, "You really are an idiot! How did you not foresee this?!" Zim shouted, causing Dib to flinch, "You _know_ what happens when _parents_ call for missing children since you've lived on this dust ball for years!" Zim 

felt his patience grow short at the high probability this little fortress Dib had made, was now capable of being investigated. If there was one single room lit, with a search crew coming in, this would be all for nothing; Dib's sloppy manslaughter and cover up just made Zim's job _more harder_ than it needed to be. Zim at least did his best to elude the earth authorities, but Dib couldn't even have his name cleared without his damned father. 

"What do you want me to do, let Meef go?" 

"We're past _that_ now, idiot." 

"Well...you're the one with the superior technology here. I'll let you handle it."

"You've really grown into a piece of shit, haven't you?" Zim shoved him to the bed, burning with rage to just end Dib's life but held back, instead rubbing his forehead and letting out an exasperated sigh, "All right, since you didn't change the building too much; I suggest either an underground bunker for hiding since cloaking the building will no doubt raise suspicion." 

"There's not enough room underground to—" Dib started.

"Then I'll make room!" Zim yelled, "I have an underground lab, making a soldiers bunker with supplies, beds and necessities will only take about two weeks. That should be more than enough time till a search party is deployed." 

Meef had been, for the most part, an obedient hostage and after two weeks missing posters were hammered, or plastered throughout the parts of the neighborhood and city. Dib wasn't completely cruel, allowing Meef to eat, bathe and urinate and Zim brought over a box of clothes Meef's size that he bought; for a middle schooler, this was overwhelming. He didn't want to be here, he wanted to go home, but home felt like over a mountain while Zim had worked with no breaks to make a bunker with a hatch. Meef and Dib just shared silence as an orderly with his prisoner, putting the barrel to the boy's head at the tiniest hint of expected rebellion. "The humans should be moving soon with their search party," Zim explained, but flinched at the sight of Dib's studded leather jacket, "You're still wearing _that?"_ he pointed out. 

"It's leather, I can't wash it!" Dib retorted.

"Then at least spray it with water, you filthy human pig." 

Meef had grown tired of their banter, "Wh-what's going on Dib? Why is this hotel made to be like a...military place?" It was an honest question. Dib didn't feel like throwing Meef or forcing him to obey, in Dib's warped sense of consciousness; he felt Meef knew where he stood in the pecking order. 

"Oh that?" Dib replied in amusement, "Well, a hero is going to need a team, right? To put everything in the right order. I'm just a guy with two hands and an alien you see, so, wouldn't it be _amazing_ to hire the outcasts and misfits and be our own army, our own army of Dib!" Dib declared. Zim looked exasperated about the response but wasn't surprised. Meef felt a rock drop from his stomach.

"An army?" Meef replied, weakly, "Y-you killed my brother…"

"You can remind Dib as much as you want, I doubt it'll change him," Zim answered.

"I wasn't talking to you!" The young boy snapped.

"Then what do you suggest Dib should do?"

"Um...turn himself in?" 

Dib shook his head, "Look Meef, since you're being far more cooperative than your brother, I won't kill you, but don't expect me to turn myself into a world that never gave a damn about us outcast; "being yourself" gets us bullied. I don't care if I don't have a girlfriend or a boyfriend, maybe even a significant other, but to be treated like garbage for being me-! This is why I'm doing this Meef!" he explained, "Some psychopathic losers want kill counts, but me? I just wanted to be loved, Meef! I wanted friends! This fucking....fucking world needs to be fixed!" 

"But...but Keef wanted to be a friend to you, Dib," Meef was harshly smacked by Dib causing him to yelp.

"Keef is dead because he made me screw up!" Dib shouted.

Meef sighed, "You really are hard headed—" he felt the gun to his head again, and he quickly fell quiet before he could even finish that sentence. Dib ended up folding altogether after his talk with Meef. He retreated to the top floor's Suite 7, as his new bedroom. He didn't like the brat reminding him of his guilt. Dib was still fragile minded, fearful he might break, because Meef was playing the role as a meager reminder of his humanity; this would've been avoided, this _could've_ been avoided...Dib sat on the love seat propped on the patio, it was the few things he kept in the old hotel turned makeshift fortress. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, if only to ease his nerves, even if it was brief. He was caught off guard when he felt his cigarette be snatched, noticing Zim had taken it and crumbled it in his claws. 

Dib growled, he had forgotten Zim was his work partner in all this. Zim crossed his arms as he stared at Dib, expecting a knee jerk response that his nicotine fix was on the floor.

"Do you wish to destroy your lungs that badly?" Zim wasn't exactly scolding him, but it wasn't a tone of the alien being curious, "As long as you shorten your lifespan, the harder it will be to command your men. Your biology can't break up these awful compounds." 

"I didn't ask to be lectured by an alien over my smoking habits." 

"As long as I'm your _second in command,_ and in the Irken military I cannot allow you to continue these awful sticks!" Zim shouted, "Let me see the pack," Dib looked defiant at the request, "Let me see your cigarette pack, or I'll take it, human!" Dib rolled his eyes and handed the pack that by now had only five, but Zim was quick and pulled out the second one from his second coat pocket. Zim examined the brand, realizing it was an incense based cigarette that Dib ogled in some mystic stores. The ingredients were hardly readable, aside from tobacco, but the moment his PAK scanned through the inside; Zim winced at what they were. 

"What?" Dib asked, "You look like you found dead flies inside." 

"Dib, your cigarettes contain Amantadine…" 

"So what?"

"You don't have _Parkinson's disease,_ and this brand is clearly laced with it," Zim pointed out, "You didn't get this from the counter at the mystic store at the mall at all, did you?" Dib clicked his tongue.

"I...just needed a stronger taste and some medicine with it," Dib sighed, "These are cheaper bootlegs." 

"Cheaper bootlegs?! Medicine?!" Zim shouted, "Amantadine isn't meant to be consumed like this!"

"I doubt it's even—" 

"Stop, stop throwing excuses! I'm being serious about this!" Zim yelled, "Whether it is or it's not Amantadine, it still treats Parkinson's disease, and it has the same side effects." Dib groaned and snatched the other newer pack back. Zim rolled his eyes, it was Dib's choice in this matter, and Zim felt like they had bigger things to worry about...but deep inside, he wondered if Dib could handle his drug laced cigarettes. "Do you need me to hire recruits for our army?" Zim asked, putting aside the subject, "I can tell you have plans for it." Dib gave a weary smirk. 

"Isn't it too early?" Dib replied.

"It's never too early. You want to make plans to get back at this filthy planet? You need recruits. We need more humans, more or less around or close to your age." 

Dib paused, "Fine, since people are distracted by the search for Keef; but I want one favor though...I want them to be outcasts and jaded misfits like me. No _human_ veteran or soldier is going to agree with me, and I definitely don't need the lowest of adult scum working for me." Zim almost groaned in frustration. Dib _did_ have a point, and Zim liked the idea of those similar to Dib to be brought and bred to revolutionize against those that kicked them around. Zim reflected on this, it wasn't impossible but it was highly risky. Zim shoved Dib aside and rushed to the bunker, opening a secret door that now led to his lab. Zim had to take back his first plan in plucking these weirdos from their houses, in order to get the right human teenagers, he had to lure them to the apartment and pretend to the authorities that they were just hanging out. Prodigies were sometimes in the spectrum of misfits, so Zim decided to interlace a complex game and coordinates and link it through the teen forums on different parts of the web. It was a simple game to test recruits, and scan them, a pendulum inside a maze shaped as a butterfly. The goal was to use strategy freely, and don't touch the enemies or edges. It was...a slow process, but to get their smart and tactful men this was necessary.

  
  


" _Authorities say that Keef—and Meef—could be the victims of a house robbery, some items were stolen from the older brother's bedroom, and posters and drawings were torn from the tape; meanwhile scanning for DNA has only rendered inconclusive...Deena—the mother of the two boys is devastated by her loss and is not available for comments. The rest of this suburban neighbourhood is shaken, they fear the worst, but hopefully this will be the last incident as the search for Meef and Keef will continue._

_If you or a loved one has seen them, or has information please contact—"_

It was all over the news, and in school they even held a memorial even if Keef's body wasn't found. Dib, among others, placed flowers near Keef's home classroom and during lunch he saw Gretchen praying over Keef's locker. Dib tried to avoid Gretchen's gaze, hauling his backpack as he fled but he felt his wrist twist. Dib flinched at the sensation of Gretchen's nails, recently manicured, they felt like talons.

"Dib...please, let's talk?" Gretchen started. 

"I'm in no mood to talk," Dib replied, coldly.

"It's about Keef."

Dib pursed his lips, "Look, I know, it's a tragedy. I-I'm just not in any mood to talk about this, so please, drop it...let me go." Dib tried pulling her hand away, but Gretchen held on tight like a vice. 

"Dib, I know we haven't been that close in like ever, but, I've been in the same class as you since grade school. You...you know something...don't you?"

" _Gretchen_ , I don't like that you're brown nosing and accusing me like this." 

"B-but I just thought…" 

Dib restrained his boiling rage. He wasn't angry at Gretchen directly but she was poking. Gretchen wasn't on his radar to be part of his army, and Dib didn't harbor that much ill will against her to take her hostage, or kill her; but Dib felt that bubbling heat of anger simmer. Dib had to throw her off the scent. 

"Gretchen, this month has been really hard on me, okay?" Dib said with a sense of mourning, "I miss Keef too. I don't know who took him." Dib felt like kicking himself, he wasn't the best at acting, and he was sure the highschool theatre teacher would've slapped his wrist. He hoped Gretchen took the ass pull as genuine concern as the other young adult observed his body language.

"You...really don't?" Gretchen sounded disappointed, but it was better than sniffing for a trail. 

"No." 

Gretchen looked conflicted, "Then why were you seen last at his place?" 

Dib nearly felt his body give weight, as he slumped to the floor in a cold, filthy sweat. An alibi. Dib, you goddamned idiot, he thought to himself, of course the neighbors are still doing neighbourhood watches when no one's looking. What's going to be your crystal clear alibi?! No, wait...there were other guys with his scythe and he just happened to be at Keef's house when people were still waking up; but Dib couldn't keep his thoughts in one place. They fell like a flimsy tower of cards and Dib passed out before he could comprehend what Gretchen told him. 

Dib remembered waking _up in a bathroom in school. The dilapidated walls were peeling off dry blue paint, that released awful dust into the debris, and some parts were burnt and charred into black blobs. He limped and slumped against the sink, a sign next to him happily advising him to_ **WASH YOUR HANDS**

 **THINK OF OTHERS!** _mocked him. Dib coughed, feeling his throat start to bubble as if he needed to regurgitate but nothing came out. Dib hastily turned on the water and washed his face, before cupping water to drink. He was interrupted when he felt hands hold down his neck and head, his stomach dropped when he heard the squeaking of the faucet handle. The water was rising and it was invading his throat and lungs, Dib could barely breathe as he started flailing._

_Did you think of me, pal?! DID YOU THINK OF ME WHEN I BLED ALL OVER YOU?!_

**Did you miss me?**

  
  
  


Dib gasped, breaking into coughs, clutching his chest as he sat up on the bed of the nurses office. Zim sighed, gesturing to Dib, "He's, uh, taking medicine...his medication gives him nightmares," he explained. Dib blanched. He never expected Zim of all people to cover for him, Zim didn't even bring up the cigarettes. The nurse looked justifiably worried about Dib's mentality, it wasn't her field, they were a school nurse office not the psychologist. She looked apologetic as she could only provide a frozen sponge in a plastic wrap to tend to his headache. 

"Can you bring Dib back to his house? Make sure he doesn't...hurt himself?" She asked. 

"Hurt himself?!" Zim exclaimed loudly. Zim was so wrapped up in their schemes it looked more like Dib was more than ready to hurt others. 

"Have his family member make an appointment with his psychologist." 

He let out an exhausted sigh, "Yes ma'am," he replied before helping Dib out of the nurses office. The young man's boots dragged as Zim held Dib by his shoulders. Zim was quiet, which was unnatural to Dib, and under these circumstances it felt eerie. Zim brought him back to the hotel, and sat him down inside of the managers office; Dib was propped against the wall before Zim slapped him across the face. Dib yipped like a kicked dog, feeling his cheek as it throbbed. "You know what you just did by having your little _scene_ in front of the school?!" Zim yelled, "You just made it harder for me to make sure we're not compromised! First you kill Keef because you panicked, dragged his brother in, and now you fainted in front of your classmate!" he squatted down to Dib's eye level, "I am just one man in your plan, yet you can't handle this without making one mistake. Do you want me to lead? Is that it?!" 

Dib glared and shoved him to the ground, letting out a guttural growl as he tried to not blow like a heated kettle. "Gretchen was asking too many questions! She brought up that I was last seen at Keef's house! What the fuck do you want me to do Zim?! Kill her?! I can't do that! I—" 

"That never stopped you before, judging by your sloppy handiwork that I had to clean up, Dib worm." 

_Did ya think of me, Dib?_

Dib looked more than ready to punch Zim. He wanted to make him bleed. Dib felt hot tears drop on Zim's uniform as he trembled, holding his composure felt like he was made of sticks. He was light and ready to crumble; but goddammit, Zim was right. That never stopped him. Dib flinched and let Zim go, before standing up, and letting out heavy breaths that were just as hot as his tears. No, he wasn't the same Dib anymore...Gretchen was still an obstacle as was the neighborhood. Dib _had_ to make a compromise. Zim was asking him to take risks as a leader. Dib was reluctant at first, he didn't want to drag another old classmate. Zim stood up and offered his hand, "Come with me, Dib, I have a surprise for you…" he said. Dib followed Zim to the lounge where two teenagers sat on opposite chairs; one was dawned in a brown coat, wearing sunglasses, and a black wool beanie sucking on juice, while the other was in denim, with a bright colored Bloaty shirt, with round glasses, playing a Game Brat game. They looked so young, even the teen in the brown coat looked at least fifteen. 

"Who...who the fuck are they?" 

"Your first recruits, both girls," Zim said proudly, "There's a highschool boy on the way too, but he's coming from the other side of the state." 

Recruits...right, Dib had forgotten he ordered Zim to do this, but he wasn't expecting them to come by so quickly, and willingly. "Did you check for wires?" Dib whispered. Zim rolled his eyes. 

"They're _fine._ I had Gir scan them for wires and bugs and come up empty," Zim explained, putting a hand to his hip, "I suggest giving your first recruits aliases or nicknames."

"Why?"

"So you don't get too attached." 

The two young girls walked over, Dib noticed the brown coat girl had dyed her hair purple, while the other girl in denim had a red hair colored dye with yellow ends with pigtails. It was too noticeable, too recognizable. They had to change their hairstyles if they wanted to stay with him. "I'm Cl—" the denim girl started but Dib stopped them, and gave an observing glare.

"First things first…" Dib gestured to their dyed hair, "Get rid of this by tomorrow." 

" _What?!"_

"Are you for real?! I've been wanting this style for months!" 

"We're not a band, you know...we're trying to be as less suspicious and less recognizable as we possibly can. You know what bright colors do? They make you an open target, so change it back, if you're blonde, just dye it black or brown," Dib commanded. The two predictably rolled their eyes but agreed, begrudgingly. Dib placed his hands to his hips, "So what makes you outcasts?" 

"My parents divorced, and my mom is an emotional wreck. I get called an orphan at school, and weirdo for my ability to handle computers," The brown coat girl explained, "I'm...an amateur hacker." 

"My dad's an engineer, but he's hardly home, because I'm so small and young I get bullied a lot. I might not look like it, but I know how to shoot a gun and fix things!" 

"U-um…" Dib stuttered. Oh God, he wasn't expecting such backstories, and he felt a guilty conscious lean over his neck. Dib was considering turning back, drop everything, but returning back to the torture he felt...he didn't want it. He wished he could drop it in a box and leave it for someone else to carry his burdens. Zim watched him, and Dib noticed. He took a deep breath. He pointed to the brown coat girl, "Your name from now on is Mouse," he then pointed at the denim girl, "You're Scout." Zim looked flabbergasted.

Scout beamed, "Cool, like in Kill A Mockingbird?" 

Mouse blanched about her new name. She probably wasn't fond of mice or had them as pests in her house. "Why am I Mouse?!" she exclaimed. 

"Because no ones going to notice you if your hacking skills are that good," Dib explained.

"Then just call me, I dunno, Bacteria?" 

"Bacteria isn't even a good alias!" Dib retorted.

"Scout, Mouse, get over here…" Zim commanded. Mouse groaned, muttering about "dumbass adults" and followed Scout over. They stood in front of Zim and waited, treating this as though Zim was a coach or teacher that was giving them a pep talk, "Remember to keep this meeting a secret, once your parents aren't home, you can stay with us. We have a bunker and supplies, remember to keep any plans a secret from the authorities. Understand?" 

"Yes sir." 

Mouse and Scout left on their bikes after, with Mouse loudly complaining about undoing all her hair dye. Dib slumped against the couch, reflecting on his plans, and thinking about what he was dragging these teens into. Mouse and Scout now heavily relied on Dib and Zim with their lives, and one slip up could have them killed. 

Oh _fuck,_ I didn't even ask their ages, Dib thought, but he forcefully shoved that thought aside. Dib was after humanity as a whole. He told himself he was just fucked up by his confrontation with Gretchen, it had to be the reason why he couldn't think straight. Dib felt his thoughts be interrupted when Meef was escorted by Zim, either to clean up or eat. Meef was still leering at Dib and even stopped during the walk. "Dib...who were those girls?" Meef asked. Oh good, as if his conscience needed more heavy burdens.

"Recruits," Dib answered plainly, "Did you forget I made this place a fortress for this reason?" 

"But...but Dib, they're the same as I am!"

"So?" Dib put up his tough facade, even though inside his emotions started to swirl and muddle. 

"Dib! You're...you're recruiting kids! You're making soldiers out of kids!" Meef yelled, "You know this isn't right! You know it isn't!" Zim growled and shoved his claw harshly onto Meef's mouth to silence him. It was amazing what started as a hasty accident had bloomed into this, but for Dib it was just starting.

  
  



	2. Wing Plucks

**Chapter Two Wing Plucks**

  
  
  


Dib was at first horrified to find his plans in his desk to be no longer there, till Zim assured him that he personally moved it back to the hotel. Dib wasn't looking forward to classes as his phone eventually exploded with messages by Mouse and Scout. Zim didn't need to go as far to give them new _phones_ to keep up with their new leader but the alien did it anyway. Dib couldn't help but feel that Zim was partially doing this for laughs; the alien stifled giggles as Mouse and Scout pleaded Dib for homework advice, and what his favorite band was. Dib felt like he was babysitting rather than doing training. The girls expected to bond but Dib wanted to avoid that. He was frightened that if he gave an inch, his courage would crumble. Dib's conscience, moral compass and brain was in constant war. 

"Hey emo," Torque teased Dib by pulling his scythe hair, "Nice look lately, perfect for Keef's funeral."

Zim stood up, ready to intervene, until he saw Dib's face contort into a scowl. Dib heaved, his hands gripping the desk as Torque kept pulling; he could barely think as he felt the inside of his brain popping, as he struggled and kicked before he felt Torque's hand on his neck. Dib lightly grazed his palm over Torque's big fingers till he found the nail, the middle finger was closest to him; Dib forced his mouth to it and bit down as hard as he physically could. Torque cried and howled in pain as the heat seared and Dib could taste the disgusting flavors of nail, flesh and blood. Torque tried pulling away, whimpering, but Dib clamped down harder until the nail shattered as if Torque accidentally smashed it with a hammer. Dib let go, and Torque laid on his back, clenching his finger to stop the bleeding. 

" _Fuuuuuck!"_ Torque howled, " _FUUUCK! My finger! My finger is fuuuuucked!"_

Dib wiped his mouth, spitting out the nail pieces on the floor. He chuckled, and knelt down next to Torque who blubbered like a toddler, "To think I used to care about your welfare once...a few times maybe…" 

"Fuck _YOU!"_ Torque seethed. Dib casually moved to the side and kicked the back of his head. Zim didn't know what came over him, but a tiny voice told him to stop this; he walked over and held Dib's shoulders moving him away from Torque's blubbering and painful wailing. This wasn't the exact time for revenge, but Zim was sure this was Dib's first taste of blood, and Dib gave a small giggle at Torque's reaction. Zim felt a tinge of fear at this. He thought he wanted Dib to be just as spiteful to earthlings as he was, doing anything to conquer earth; but now Dib was giving little hints of something beyond that. To hate the humans and stand equally about it was fine, but did Dib just crack mentally after breaking Torque's nail? "Piece of shit, you piece of goddamned deadhead shit face!" Torque continued with his angry spiel much to Zim's horror. 

"Smackey, shut up!" Zim snapped.

" _But that motherfucker broke my finger!"_

"Smackey, if you don't shut up, I'll make you shut up!" Zim yelled, "You're not helping by provoking him!" Torque moaned in pain as his hand felt like it grew numb. He turned on his side and had a hard time getting up. Torque's adrenaline made him dizzy and nauseous, and the moment he looked at his broken nail he knew he needed more than just a band aid. Torque started limping to the nurses office, and Dib watched him leave. "Dib beast, Dib beast look at me…" Zim whispered. Dib looked so different the moment their gazes met, Zim felt his blood run cold at the almost dull look; not a small hint of guilt over Torque's injury. "So...I guess Torque is off your guilt list?" Zim said. Dib scoffed.

"I told you, Keef was an accident of unfortunate circumstances," Dib checked around his mouth for extra pieces of fingernail, before he slowly took out a piece from the back of his jaw, "Zim...do we know how violent Mouse and Scout are yet?" 

"No, I'm still training them on programming and strategies," Zim replied, "Why?" 

"Tomorrow... _let's get Torque._ " 

Zim swallowed. "Dib, you can't just—" he stammered. 

"I'm not letting that freaking pig get away in an attempt to humiliate me, Torque never got his due," Dib sighed, "I was gonna save this asswipe for later. Let me test the waters by torturing him a bit, you know...but, fuck it, he's earned this," Dib wheezed. Zim attempted to comfort him, trying to persuade him not to act irrationally, but Dib was firm on getting Torque and tossing him to his underlings. Dib was sure Mouse and Scout wanted to release steam as much as he did; putting a bully on the plate was more than enough as a practice than a sack. Zim soon realized that Dib was serious about this, however he was not fond of being the stable boy but Dib was still their leader. After Torque had left the hospital, Zim pounced when the coast was clear. He knocked the bigger human out with an electric shock, before he was dragged to his ship. Zim threw Torque into one of the makeshift cells of the hotel, while Dib looked on with Mouse and Scout. 

"Oh shit, I never saw a guy that large," Scout commented.

Dib felt like he wasn't one to scold them on their cussing at this point, both he and Zim dropped F bombs when the fuel was lit inside of them. "Uh...yeah, he bullies me at my school," Dib explained, "Did you change into the spare clothes like I told you?" Mouse made a grimace. 

"I don't like these clothes, they hardly fit, and what's gonna happen if blood gets in my hair?" Mouse griped. 

" _Mouse,_ we're gonna beat up a bully!" Scout said happily, "We never get to fight back against our bullies! We get detention while those assholes slip away—but now, we get to give it to _them_ like they did to _us!_ " Mouse stomped her foot, fuming that the smaller girl didn't understand her message. 

" _Scout…!"_

"Trust me Mouse, Zim and I will handle it. Now who wants the bat, and who wants the wrench?" Dib showed them the weapons like they were toys. Their eyes glistened as if Dib had bestowed them games; they shivered in delight and bounced a bit like dog pups. 

"That bat might be too heavy for you," Mouse said, "I'll take it." 

"Too bad, I wanted to hit him with the bat. I used to have softball practice," Scout replied, taking the wrench, looking it over, "Can I pull his teeth with it?" 

Dib couldn't help but feel a smirk on his face; Mouse and Scout were definitely good young recruits who thought nothing of the consequences of their beat up routine which would befall Torque. Torque thought he had power, but he was in Dib's growing empire now. Zim opened the cell door for Mouse and Scout who walked in, wearing medical masks over their faces. Torque groaned, and struggled to get up, before noticing the two fifteen year olds staring down at him with weapons. "What...what the fuck...who are you brats?! Where the fuck am I?!" Torque sputtered and tried crawling to them, Scout screamed when Torque grabbed her ankle but Mouse retaliated by giving his cheek a hard whack.

"Dib was right! You _are_ a bully!" Scout yelled, sounding disgusted Torque even touched her.

"What…? D-Dib?!" Torque yelled, "That big headed little shit hired tweenies?!" 

Mouse made another sharp hit, making Torque spit out his teeth, " _Call us tweenies one more time!"_ she shrilled, " _I WILL SMASH OUT YOUR BRAINS!"_

Zim and Dib observed from the entrance of the doorway. Zim was in awe at the ferocity of such young earth girls, Torque didn't even beg yet. The older boy was still fighting even in the face of two kids armed with a bat and wrench. Dib meanwhile glanced on smiling and stifling laughs at every yelp, and every scream that came from Torque's now bloody mouth. Dib ensured this place was soundproof, so even if Torque wailed for help, no one could hear him; Torque, the biggest bastard of their school was reduced to being a plaything to Dib's youngest recruits. He found it hilarious. 

"What...did…" Torque wheezed, "Dib promise you? You're...just...middle schoolers…" 

Scout kicked his face, "We're going to fix everything, but first we have to fix you," she knelt down beside him, "See this? This is a wrench. It's stronger than the bat and small, like me. I need to use this properly...if I'm not _careful,_ you could die. Understand, dipshit?" Mouse spat on Torque's face and hair for emphasis, "Mouse, can I play with him now?" 

It now dawned on Torque that this wasn't a regular beat up. He shuffled back against the wall, letting out small whines as Scout happily hummed. "Hey Torque, wanna know how long I can pull your ear till you say uncle?" Scout asked. Torque screamed loudly as Mouse dragged him over from the wall, and he felt his pants grow wet, making the girls cackle. 

  
  
  


Mouse and Scout changed back into their clothes after Zim cleaned off any remnants of DNA and blood from their skin. They were both giggling and laughing like they just came back from the best theme park they visited. They complimented each other on how good they were, and how amazing the other was. They both ran over to Zim and Dib and thanked them before leaving. "I...I don't believe it…" Zim said in awe, "Mouse and Scout, they knocked Torque out from shock and some blood loss. I'm amazed he isn't comatose or dead by now." 

Dib was holding a tissue cloth, carefully wrapped and bloody, "I found this on the floor," he smiled. 

Zim gagged, "Torque's left ear?!" he spat, "I was gone for a few minutes but they tore it off?!" he rubbed his forehead, "Those girls...I was hoping they wouldn't overdo it." 

Dib broke into laughter, "You're concerned about _that?"_

"Yet you aren't?! Torque's family might notice if we let him go!" 

"Who said we have to let him go?" Dib replied, blasé, "He's an ass who goes off with his yuppie friends and plays hooky more than we do. Who's going to notice this stupid, violent pig is gone?" 

Zim snatched the paper, glaring at Dib, "It seems you do not understand the weight of your actions!" he snapped. Dib suddenly took Zim's wrist tightly, causing the other to wince by the vice grip.

"You're not even one to lecture at me about this!" Dib snapped back in a furor, "Are you always going to be on my dick about this when I do something wrong, or will you even listen to your commander?! I'm in charge of everything Zim!" Zim scowled.

"Being in command is going to be a frequent excuse every time you act unprofessional, isn't it?"

"We just currently have two recruits, Zim, maybe you'd be less antsy and off your high horse if we got a fair amount of soldiers?" 

Was he antsy? It was frustrating to Zim that he didn't have much to do other than clean and build, and Zim was reluctant to admit having only Scout and Mouse was...disappointing in current numbers, and their high school recruit was taking buses and trains. He wouldn't be here for a long while. 

"Zim _has_ been unhappy at the lackluster of numbers…" Zim reluctantly admitted, almost grinding his teeth as he spoke, "But, I got my three, so now it's your turn to get your men. I'm not waiting hours for IPs and emails through my internet game!" 

"You got Scout and Mouse through an internet game?" 

"Yes?" 

"Was it a _flash g—"_

"A simple forum maze game that has encryptions laced on it, using my clever Irken game made me easily get our current men," Zim pulled off his lenses and wig, putting them back inside his PAK, "So I did my end of getting some of our people, and as I said, it's your turn. You've always been the biggest loser of the class, surely you must know someone more pathetic as you?" 

Dib paused and sat on the lobby couch, getting out an incense cigarette, lit it with a lighter before he started puffing. Zim clutched his antennae pedicel's at the stench. Dib breathed and looked at Zim, "I think I know at least one, or remember one guy at our school."

  
  


Zim and Dib both knew him by the nickname Heavy, Heavy's real name was Moby, and he was considered a slow boy with nothing but brawn and a baby face to boot. He was called Moby Small Dick by the boys in the locker rooms, and was often pushed in the pool because he didn't know how to swim. Heavy was a smart young man though despite being constantly teased for being big and called retarded at every corner. Heavy had a rage inside that he took on soda cans and even glass bottles, carrying intrusive fantasies that burned inside his psyche. He embraced his nickname, if only to be intimidating and make his tormentors flee the halls, yet be egged or tripped onto his face minutes later. Heavy's life just went that way. 

Dib nervously visited Heavy during lunch, sitting next to him on the bleachers. Heavy really carried a scary aura about him, a mental wall, it didn't help that he was absorbed in plucking wings out of a fly that he caught that hovered on his school sandwich paper. Dib cleared his throat, "Uh, Heavy?" 

"Yeah, what?" Heavy heaved, "You want something?"

"Let me put it this way, do _you_ want something?" 

Heavy went quiet and threw the fly carcass away before looking at Dib, "Yeah, I want to make those assholes pay for making my depression worse. Dad thinks I deserved it because my grades suck...I get called retarded every day. Dib, it sucks, I can't take this anymore." 

Dib chuckled bitterly, they both knew each other vaguely due to gossip and cruelty. Dib didn't need to introduce himself, Heavy knew who he was and he already knew Heavy. "Listen, Heavy...I'm working on building an army to correct this world. We're going to make every shit stain that talked us down regret it." Heavy was in awe, before he looked pessimistic about the idea.

"Are you making fun of me? There's no fucking way to change the order, I'm going to be bullied for years, and you too. Ever since in Elementary I was just the dumb fat dweeb!" 

"Heavy, I sympathize with you. This is why your contribution is so important…" Dib easily caught another fly and showed it to Heavy, "You like catching bugs and taking off their wings, don't you? Imagine doing that but to the bullies who called you every one of the dirtiest insults they could ever throw at you." 

"I always did want to smash a bottle over Chunk's stupid face," Heavy grumbled. 

"You get to do that too, we can do _anything_ with our tormentors," Dib tossed the fly aside, "So are you in?" Heavy nodded and shook his hand. Dib told him where the meeting place was, and made him promise not to tell the police or anyone else about the plan. Dib felt elevated, he had managed to convince Heavy to be part of their group. Dib indulged himself with another incense smoke on the bleachers, he was nervous it wasn't going to work that his nerves felt tight. He relaxed as he smoked before he stopped himself when he heard a loud _thunk_ coming from the other side of the bleachers. Dib snuffed out his cigarette before rushing over. No one or anything was there.

_Thunk_

_Thunk_

_Thunk_

They were...heavy footsteps, like someone was dragging their feet with heavy boots and shoes; but Dib couldn't see anyone. Dib started to panic, picking up his bag, he fled to the campus library building and hid in a book aisle at the far corner so the shadows would hide him. He could still hear the footsteps as they were getting louder and closer. He clutched his bag close to his chest as he breathed…

_Thunk_

_Thunk_

_Thunk_

"Please leave me alone," Dib whispered, "Leave me be...just leave me be…" Dib yelped when his shoulder was tapped and noticed Gretchen was looking at him in confusion and in worry. Dib exploded in rage upon seeing her. "Gretchen?!" he spat, "Were you stalking me?!" Gretchen flinched at his accusatory tone but shook her head, much to Dib's fear. Gretchen sat down next to him and Dib scooted away by a few inches to keep boundaries between them. Dib still clutched his bag, keeping his lips tight till Gretchen spoke up. Dib buried his face into the backpack fabric hoping to feel a little bit invisible to her. 

"Dib...I wasn't stalking you. I did see you and Moby talk on my way to the bathroom, but that's all. I...kinda saw you freak out and run here and wondered what was up with you," Gretchen explained, "Um...wanna talk about it?" 

Dib started to wish Gretchen was more like her past self, slow and dim witted, but because her father gave a damn that Gretchen was less of the outcast and more of the average girl. Dib was aware Gretchen had a small crush on him, but Dib vocally did not recuperate those same feelings. It didn't stop the plum headed girl to just be around him at times, Gretchen accepted the unrequited love; but now, here she was, she caught things more easily and was way more observant. Dib was treading on eggshells around her; he had to keep his plans away from her line of sight, and make sure Gretchen didn't catch what was going on and squeal. The last thing he wanted was to put her in the same cell as Torque, and watch Mouse and Scout break her down, after all Gretchen was still teased...but unlike Dib, she was used to it and Dib was just on another path. 

"Talk about what?" Dib sighed.

"About what...freaked you out like that?" Gretchen suggested.

Dib shrugged, plainly. He couldn't find a good answer for his response. If Dib blamed it on a ghost, it would be downright laughable, and Dib had just accused Gretchen of stalking him when she wasn't. He would put himself in the corner by either answer, but silence would just make him more guilty. 

"I just thought...Torque was after me so I hid here," Dib lied. 

"Well, that sucks he's made you so paranoid," Gretchen huffed, "But Torque's absent, again...his posse is mad he didn't invite them to where he's gone to." Dib chuckled in amusement, imagining the small group of young men looking like angry roosters about Torque "ditching" them to go to a party. 

"Maybe the lummox has a girlfriend," Dib joked about it. 

"If he did, he would have gloated about it, like when he dated Jessica…I bet Torque just got up and left to a party or something," Gretchen explained, exasperated, "Can I ask you something?" 

"What?" 

"Are you and Zim _dating?_ " she asked, "I mean you always leave school together and—" 

Dib excused himself, feeling his body become cold with embarrassed sweat and left the library before Gretchen could finish asking.

  
  


Heavy introduced himself to Mouse, Scout and Zim and shook each of their hands. Zim was impressed Dib had managed to bring such a human with a tough build. Heavy also explained his father was in the army which is why he had hardly seen him when he was on duty, and while being only seventeen, he managed to get himself a drivers license. Zim felt proud to have Heavy on their line, and Scout and Mouse happily saw him as a big brother because he was older by two years. Heavy walked around the lower section of the hotel and passed the cell rooms. He stopped when he heard a painful groan come from one of them and leaned in. It reeked of urine, and blood, and another stench Heavy couldn't recognize no matter how much he sniffed, but he did recognize the young man lying on his back with most of his teeth gone, his left ear had been torn. Torque was on a chair with a bucket below it, moaning in pain as the remnant of his skin became yellow. Torque's eyes lit up, widening as large as saucers as soon as he saw Heavy.

"M...Moby...y...ya...g-gotta get me out of here…" Torque said, "I...p...promise to stay away from you, leave you alone...I'll move...if I have to...j...ust get me out...of 'ere…" 

"What happened to you? Piss off a bunch of angry dogs?" Heavy teased, "You look like shit." 

"Moby... _pleeeease…_ " Torque begged, tears pouring and snot dripped as he whimpered, "Mouse...Sc...out...they're...they're...goin' to kill me. Dib is gonna order them to 'ill me, I know he's gonna!" 

Heavy gave a smug smirk and laughed a bit, "Torque, have you ever been nice to me, even once?" 

"Wh-what the f-fuck do you think I'm doing for you now?! I'm giving you the option to never see me again!" 

"I don't mean right now, you dumbass. I'm asking you…" Heavy took a deep breath, "When in the past you gave a damn about me? You know how many times I asked for you to help me out when I needed to see the nurse, yelled for you to stop when you humiliated me, stopped your group of friends from calling me fatass? I didn't hear a peep." 

" _MOBY!"_ Torque yelled, "You're...you're...seriously lecturing me now?!" 

"Well at least you're fucking listening!" Heavy yelled back, "I begged you to stop bullying me, and now here you are, you're _begging me_ to _help you_. You really are a piece of garbage, but look on the bright side...I'm gonna ask Dib to bring Chunk here too." 

"No...no...Moby, you don't understand…!" Torque shouted, "Dib's going to kill us! Don't you care? I'm...I'm human too...I don't want to die, Moby...I don't want to die." 

Heavy silently watched him whimper and beg till Torque's voice had grown hoarse. Dib had been observing and leaned back against the wall with Heavy, treating his pleads and cries as a show on display. After Torque's whimpering had died down to a sniffle, Dib walked inside and squatted down in front of him, "You have gall begging someone you bullied to save you from me. Who knew it just took a couple of young girls to make you like a sniveling bitch." 

"Dib...let me go...I have an infection...I...I need a doctor...I promise not to tell. Please there's gotta be some humanity left in you—" 

Dib punched him hard, "You're not in the right to lecture me about humanity, you sack of shit!" he growled, "You helped make me into this! So don't start preaching! I hate you so much, I want to kill you!"

"Just like you killed Keef?!" Torque shouted. 

That did it. Torque now wished he could take back those words, as Dib let out a loud blood curdling scream as if he was being killed by invisible hands tearing his soul apart. Dib pounced onto Torque continuing to scream like a man possessed and started layering punch after punch. Torque was sure he was going to die now, due to his big mouth, and Dib wasn't pulling his punches and hits. Dib even managed to scratch against the part where his ear was ripped and he too joined the symphony of mad screams coming from Dib. Zim had to rush in and intervene just as he heard the disturbing echoes. He pulled Dib off, but Torque was once again rendered unconscious from another assault. 

Dib washed his hands and met with Heavy, Mouse, Scout and Zim in the lounge. Heavy sat with the girls while Dib and Zim sat next to each other; the five felt a spike of adrenaline, especially from witnessing the scene between Torque and Dib. "Dude, that was amazing," Torque complimented as Zim chose to stay silent about the matter, "You're like...one of the most lanky of guys I met and you just beat Torque up so bad his head bled!" 

Zim didn't understand why the compliment to Dib made him throw up a little in his mouth, but it was probably because he was still getting used to him being more aggressive and harder to control; when Dib was younger he did threaten to put Zim on the autopsy table and open him up, but it was nothing like _this._ "I'm no medical professional, but I will treat Torque's infection." 

Mouse looked disappointed, "So we can't kill him?" 

Zim didn't want to bring up Keef's murder, "No, but we can use him...somehow." Heavy locked ecstatic. 

"Can we use him as bait?" 

"Perhaps...if he's healthy enough...but for now Torque can barely walk, and well, his middle finger is still shattered. He's going to draw attention," Zim explained, "What do you think, _Commander Dib?"_

"Huh? What?" Dib rubbed his eye, looking groggy. 

"Oh for fucks sake, did you doze off?!" Zim snapped.

Dib yawned softly, "What's the big deal? I just released all my energy onto beating Torque up…" 

  
  
  
  



	3. Holy Cross Girl

**Chapter Three Holy Cross Girl**

  
  
  


"I keep telling you to drop those awful cigarettes and you don't listen to me," Zim scolded, keeping his voice low. He didn't want to have Scout and Mouse picking up on Dib's bad habits, they were three years younger than him; and Zim knew from data that younger biology was more heavily affected by toxic compounds. Dib rolled his eyes. He didn't like that Zim was judging him all this, when he was a sweet tooth fiend, but there really was a huge difference between Irkens and humans. Zim was about to talk more until he was interrupted by Mouse and Scout needing to leave, meanwhile Heavy was staying for the night. Dib sighed, now that they were alone, he felt it was necessary to bring up his concerns.

"Zim, I need...an alibi…" Dib strained.

"Alley-bye?" Zim repeated.

"I think I might be questioned by the officers soon about being seen at Keef's house." 

Zim nearly choked on his tongue, " **What?!** " he shouted, " _You were seen?!"_ Zim could see a big gaping hole in their plans, oh this was not going to be an easy fix. Zim's alien technology was amazing, but it was no miracle maker. "What do you expect me to do?!" Zim snapped, "Memory wipe the entire neighborhood?!"

"I...um, kinda have an idea...but it's _really stupid_ and might buy me some time?" Dib answered, sheepishly.

Zim glared, remembering the volatile chemical scribbles on Dib's desk, "Your not blowing stuff up yet, no matter how tempting it is for me. It's way too early for such things if you don't have a full plan, you stupid human." Dib let out an exasperated groan. 

"Well, you guys were discussing using Torque as bait. What if Torque took the fall for me?" 

Suddenly the explosion idea sounded more safe than sending Torque as a Trojan horse, but mind control was something Zim was testing and as long as Torque was blamed for Keef's killing it would satisfy the public for a good few years. "I highly doubt Torque wants to cooperate with us after his round of being your punching sack, but he _is_ my _bully_ as well. When he wasn't satisfied with you, he went after me," Zim sighed, "I'll make sure he doesn't die of course, but I can maybe reprogram his brain…" 

"Like what, with needles like acupuncture?" 

"Ehh, something like that, luckily for you I have supplied anesthesia in case it came to this. Torque won't even remember his own name once I implant false memories; if Torque gets caught, I can add in a fail-safe method." 

Dib pondered, "Torque's appearance might not be wise enough to send off, and I know Heavy wants Chunk to get back at, so I guess it's just Rob and Sara," he smirked as he thought things over, "But I want to keep them...I want to keep them in the cells, keep it occupied." 

"Then who do you suggest?" 

Dib started laughing.

  
  
  


" _Officials are baffled that 40 year old———suddenly arrived onto the street of where the robbery and kidnapping of eighteen year old, Keef, and fifteen year old Meef, showed up unannounced and shot Deena and Marshall—and their neighbors, these are the names listed on the screen of the deceased. Authorities claimed———was a simple man who handled the local highschool storage. He was known for being very sketchy, and drugs were found in his work locker containing amantadine. The suspect died this same morning by jumping off the deepest bridge after he confessed to murdering Keef._

_Meanwhile, a highschool boy, Torque Smackey, has been gone for three weeks; his parents and teachers say that he's been known to run off but return home after weeks of partying. There has been no witnesses to where he was seen last. Officials theorize he was taken by sex trafficking groups, but, evidence has been scarce to prove it to be…"_

  
  
  


First Keef, then his brother Meef, then Torque, and then one of the highschool volunteers; Dib's highschool was visibly unrest that whatever was happening was slowly starting to spread. No one was safe. They hoped it was coincidental, and not something like a curse. The teachers and staff advised everyone to stay close, and to not leave school grounds late at night; this messed up many schedules, but Dib was unaffected. Dib relished in such unrest, he even wore a protective talisman necklace to make the others start to suspect they were cursed; in a way, they were, but the other students didn't know like ants in a jar. Dib was on his way to his locker till he was dragged away from the hallway by Sara and thrown against the campus stairs. Dib landed with a groan and Sara hoisted Dib up by his shirt collar. "Look at you, being such a happy little turd when our school is suffering!" Sara spat, "You _know_ something, don't you, you freaking weirdo." 

Dib glared, "What a thing to say to me when you don't even have proof! Maybe I'm just relieved I can finally breathe in this hellhole!"

" _Oh,_ so that's how it is now. You don't care about us...you only care about yourself." 

"Sara, I swear on my mother's remains that if you don't stop, you're going to regret it!" Dib barked. Sara rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, like what—" Sara screamed when Heavy grabbed her hand and pulled her finger back, " _Moby?! What the fuck?!"_ Dib was not expecting for Heavy to intervene. He was in a different class than Dib, but the ruckus must've caught his attention. Heavy was now holding Sara's fingers and was threatening to pull it back so hard they would pop. 

"What do you want me to do with her, Dib?" Heavy asked. Sara was aghast.

"W-wait, you and Dib...are friends?" Sara squeaked.

"Yeah, and what of it?" Heavy scoffed, "No one likes you here, Sara, I bet your friend Rob hangs around with you because he's desperate…" Heavy's words seemed to have stung Sara deeply, she looked pale and conflicted; her breathing starting to grow heavy from panicking. Dib felt that tingling again in the deepest part of his heart like an adrenaline rush; after realizing Sara was distraught by this. Dib leaned against her back as Heavy held her wrists. 

"No--stop--! What're you doing you freaks, get off of me!" 

They made her be led to a desolate hallway. Heavy held her tightly as Dib whispered in her ear, becoming her inner demon of doubt and denial. "What does Rob see in a broken Catholic girl like you?" Dib said softly, a tone of poisonous honey to her ear, "Does Rob even give a damn about you? Is he even your friend?" From the distance they must've resembled demons, covered in shadow as Sara mumbled "no...no…" between her tears, before after ten minutes passed and the bell rang Sara screamed so loudly that she broke down sobbing and ran away from campus. Dib laughed so much as if he had welcomed a sadistic glee, both he and Heavy danced as the bell rang. 

  
  
  


Mouse attended a different Middle School than Scout, but they weren't so far from the Highschool that Heavy, Zim and Dib attended; due to schedule changes, Mouse's school opened later, rather than the usual seven o'clock, it rang for attendance at nine. Mouse was the usual early bird, who checked her phone often, talking with Scout, Heavy or any of her leaders but she paused when she heard sobbing coming from the school brushes. Mouse noticed it was a highschooler and placed her phone away, before slowly approaching. Mouse barely made a sound aside from crunching her shoes against fallen leaves and twigs that littered the asphalt.

She leaned over and poked the young woman with blue hair that draped down like a nun veil. The woman screamed in surprise, and stared up at Mouse with her pupils dilated and crazed.

"I...I'm not a freak am I...D-Dib's lying...r-right…?" the woman stammered. Mouse blinked in surprise that this woman knew Dib's name; but she decided to play it safe and pretend she didn't know him. 

"Who's Dib?" 

"That...that bighead freakazoid at my high school...he...he says Rob is around me because...I-I'm nothing without him...but...b-but I have friends right? I'm not...a freak, right?" 

Mouse smiled, "You're _not,"_ she replied in the sweetest tone she ever used, "Um...that cross on your neck, you go to church?" she asked. Sara sniffled. 

"Mom is training me to be part of a future church, my hair looks like this because of my veil…" 

"Oh, there happens to be one on my campus...its, uh, old church from the 60s or something," Mouse shrugged, "It's like a bunker but it's still got pews and a Maria." 

Sara expected an old fashioned bunker from the Cold War, but when she tiredly followed Mouse in what felt like circles. She led to a manhole cover atop a hill with the view of an old hotel where some of the letters were gone. Mouse smiled sweetly and opened the cover, "You better get in," she said. Sara swallowed as she looked down.

"Y...you know...perhaps I…" Sara trailed, but she looked around and realized she was not used to this area. She already felt lost, and the wind was picking up. Sara heard her phone ringing and took it out of her pocket, only for Mouse to grab it and throw it down the hole. Sara screamed.

"You bitch!" Sara snapped, "I swear to God I'll—"

Mouse giggled, "Go ahead, holy cross girl, beat me up; beat me up so bad, I can tell the adults _everything,_ " she opened her arms out, "As long as it's for your God, and you forgive yourself, it's okay to beat up a child, right?" she cackled. Sara smacked her cheek.

"You're a fucked up little girl! I-I'll call the…" 

Mouse smiled and glanced down where the phone dropped. Sara paled. 

"You wanna get it?" Mouse asked, "Or will mom and dad be angry you lost your _only_ phone?" 

Sara was horrified. She tried running away, hoping to get off this awful hill, but didn't realize how steep it was. She tumbled and felt each rock and impact from slamming into the soil. Sara finally felt her body skid to a stop halfway, but her entire form felt paralysed. Mouse carefully walked down to her, and smiled at her face, "Should I give Dib to you, or put you down the hole as a present?" she asked, before her head turned when she heard the attendance bell in the distance of her middle school. Sara tried opening her mouth but could barely talk, she could only speak in weary whispers and strained whines. 

"S...some...one...help me...can't...move…" 

Mouse chuckled, "I didn't _want_ you to roll down this hill, this is your fault," she knelt down and pulled the rosary beneath her blue shirt till it snapped off; Mouse ran back up the hill and also threw it down the manhole, "So, like...I gotta get to school now, but I can't have you there. I'll come back with rope later," she waved and quickly left leaving Sara on her back. Sara had a hard time moving her body upright, she carefully hoisted herself and felt a ringing in her ears. What's worse was her vision and body itself, her body felt exhausted after the tumble, and everything was blurry as if Sara put on Dib's glasses. She walked to the nearest building and coughed. She leaned against the wall and tried to remember her way home, remember her way...why couldn't she remember anything? 

Sara ended up wandering in her state of mind, somehow finding her way to the city. She scrambled through crowds that looked like blobs, and she covered her eyes when car lights met her gaze. "S...some...one...help...me...someone...h-help me…" she whined. Her voice felt so tiny at this point. Sara tripped on her shoes, twisting her legs to find her footing and blacked out once her body felt like it collapsed. 

  
  


Rob looked heartbroken and distraught during roll calls, that only made Dib smile. Dib never forgot that severe wedgie he gave back in Zim's space bus, making this moment sweeter; he never expected the alleged Yeti boy to crack with Sara gone. "Wh-where is she? She's never late for class…" Rob asked the other students. 

"Maybe the _curse_ got her," Dib teased.

"Shut the hell up, you creep!" Rob shouted, "If anything you're the most suspicious of th—"

"Robert, behave," their homeroom teacher scolded, "Has anyone seen Sara though? Did she leave for an emergency?" 

Zim kept himself away from Dib's antics, staying quiet as he trusted Dib to handle his business as leader but he started to realize...they were acting too reckless. Zim never realized Dib could be so cold to his fellow man in a way that rivaled military irkens disposing enemies. Zim wasn't there when Sara ran off, but like Rob, he knew at least Dib played a factor. Zim almost leapt off his seat when he got a message from his phone. 

_MouseHax: girl i found nvr went to get her phone and cross, i heard an ambulance siren, do u think i killed her?_

Zim felt a nauseous stir in his stomach. 

_Commader2: What girl?_

_MouseHax: she wore blue all over, she knew dib_

Zim interrupted Dib who went to his locker after homeroom was over. Zim felt their security was compromised because Mouse acted impulsively; injuring Sara which meant the Highschool girl saw Mouse. Dib was indifferent about what happened to Sara, much to Zim's frustration. It wasn't until it was almost lunch their math teacher received the call from the hospital. Sara wasn't dead, but she had suffered from a severe brain trauma from a bad fall. Rob was furious. He stood up and pointed at Dib, "You freaky little ass!" he sputtered, "This is your doing isn't it?!"

"That's a bold claim...coming from you," Dib replied, wearily. Dib had done nothing but make Sara run away with fear; it wasn't his fault Sara managed to get severely hurt. "I didn't do a damn thing, did I?" he added. 

"Don't act like you don't know anything!" Robert yelled, hot tears starting to swell up, "Torque's gone too...you're going after all of us, aren't you?! You're not just a freak, you're a menace! _A menace!_ " 

The teacher slowly approached the two students trying to diffuse the situation, but the two young men ended up in a shoving match; but Rob ended up overwhelming Dib and smashing his head against the wall. Dib couldn't counter as his legs flailed, the class had broken into chaos trying to tear Rob away from him. 

"You know what's happening!" Rob suddenly stopped, probably from feeling his hand grow numb and tired. Dib wasn't bleeding but he had to admit, he was seeing stars from the back of his head meeting the board. "What happened to Torque is going to happen to Sara too, isn't it?!" Rob wheezed in a furor, "You're making this town insane...you're making people crazy!"

"I...didn't hurt...Sara…" Dib breathed, "I...scared her away." 

"And Torque?!"

"Don't...know…" Dib smirked, through his breathing, "Maybe he...left without you?"

"You sack of shit, I should throw you out this fucking window!" 

Rob felt himself be pulled away and hitting the ground with a hard thud as other nearby teachers ended up intervening. They pinned Rob down, and called in officers. Zim helped Dib up and just brought him into an embrace. Zim didn't understand what came over him, or why he acted so impulsively, but Dib looking so vacant just lit something inside. Dib was no doubt in shock at what Rob attempted to do, but Zim felt like it wasn't the only reason for his shaking and trembling. Dib had been on an adrenaline high making Torque suffer, with the rest on his radar, so to see it snuff out...Zim didn't want to think what brought his aggressive behavior down that quickly. Zim decided to bring Dib to the school water fountain for a drink after his fight with Rob. Dib drank for a long time until he stopped that made Zim reconsider finding his cigarette packs and just tossing them.

"Zim...was Keef there?" Dib asked, drying his mouth.

"K-Keef?!" Zim spat, "Keef wasn't there! I told you before, I got rid of his corpse just like _you_ ordered. That medicine is making you see things, please let me get rid of those cigs!" 

"Let me see it…" he replied with a growl.

"You didn't even answer my—"

"I said let me see it, Zim. Let me see where you put Keef…" 

Zim pursed his lips, reluctant to say, "I can't." Zim never knew he felt so small then; Dib's anger ended up ballooning his furor that was against the humans. Zim expected a harsh outburst or a rebuttal, something Dib had been doing lately as the two had clashed, but instead Dib let out an exhausted sigh. Zim felt relieved that Dib could be getting tired of his plans, and he sorely needed a break. 

"Fine, whatever," Dib really sounded fatigued. The rounds of torturing enemies can do that if one wasn't used to it, Zim could have done it for Dib without breaks, but that would have taken the satisfaction out. Dib hated these classmates more than he did at a personal level that Zim couldn't reach back then.

"I suggest staying home and keeping your normal routine while I handle our base. Scout, Mouse, Heavy will understand you've had your energy spent and are going through medical issues." Dib reluctantly agreed to Zim's suggestion. 

  
  


The moment Mouse had opened the front door to the hotel, Zim was already leaning against the hall of the lobby, his arms crossed and giving an annoyed glare to the young human. Mouse looked confused, putting her bag down. She didn't think she did anything wrong. Mouse rolled her eyes and raised up her arms before they quickly sagged, "What? Aren't you proud of me? I handled one of Dib's bullies on my own and—"

"Without order…" Zim replied, still glaring, "I specifically told you when I gave you these phones when you see a target you tell me, or Dib. All Dib had done was just scare his classmate, and _you_ acted out of line! You put Dib in danger because of that!" Mouse had a hard time believing it at first. 

"What do you mean by 'putting him in danger'?" 

"Rob fought Dib in class, almost injuring him, after he heard the news Sara is in medical care! Now whose fault was that?!" Zim yelled.

"Damn it, I knew I should've kicked her down the manhole…" Mouse grumbled. 

"Mouse, how did Sara get injured?"

"Blue girl?" 

"Yes…" 

"Um, she tripped herself and fell down the steep hill halfway." 

"Was she bleeding?" 

"No! I even checked and she wasn't! I swear!" 

That lined in with what the doctor had told the teacher over the phone at least. She still suffered severe brain trauma, but she wasn't bleeding badly aside from a minor head wound. Zim still felt angry that Mouse didn't understand what she put Dib through, putting him in a sloppy domino effect that nearly cost Dib his life. Dib knew Sara and Rob were close, so scaring Sara away was a small act that kept him off the others radar. Rob would've ruffled Dib a bit, but at least Rob would still be satisfied with knowing his friend was fine. Mouse instead put her leader in the crosshairs of a very angry young man. 

"S-so...what happened to Dib?" Mouse hesitantly asked. 

"You don't get to ask that after what you did, Mouse. I'm punishing you until you understand you don't act out of command!" Zim barked, "You should at least be happy I'm not putting you on discharge! That would be _far worse_ than being _punished."_

_Punishment_ as Zim put it for soldiers acting of their own accord than listening to their leaders involved putting in a small room with just a bed, and bathroom like a criminal inside a wing that was part of the bunker structure; Zim took her phones, music players and ear plugs, anything that would be of use to feel like leisure or call for help. Zim even took her laptop to understand the weight of her actions. Mouse sat on the bed covering her face until Zim turned on a switch next to the door. A slow droning deep voice started to echo through the punishment room and Mouse started to tremble, her eyes slowly widening. 

  
  
  


Dib threw his backpack aside on the couch after school. He sighed, sitting next to Gaz who was idly working on her geometry homework on the coffee table. Gaz paused and looked up at Dib, "Wow, you look like crap, something happened again at school?" she asked. Dib rested himself on the arm of the couch, rubbing his forehead. He mentally reminded himself to get some aspirin or ibuprofen later. 

"Rob gave me a whollop during class over something I didn't do," Dib explained, "H-how's my head, there are no bumps or sores visible, right?" 

"Just some purple bruises as far as I can see," Gaz replied, "What's going on, Dib? You're hardly at home anymore." 

Dib glared, "I'm just...busy; busy with a project and Zim is helping me," he answered plainly and turned on the TV. 

"You know there's nothing good on at this time," Gaz reminded, "And keep it down. I'm trying to finish my homework so I can get back to playing Vampire Piggy Cursed Warrior." Dib wasn't looking for anything to watch out of entertainment, he just wanted the background noise to help him fall asleep faster; after channel surfing, Dib stopped on a football game that was happening in their city stadium. 

Dib yawned as he watched the game and turned the volume down, the distorted voice of the announcers yelling and fans screaming started to make him doze off. Dib slept for a few minutes till Gaz shook his shoulder. 

"Huh, wha-?" Dib mumbled as he awoke.

"Dib! Look! The stadium is getting out of control!" 

Dib gently pushed Gaz aside to get a better look. The seats of some audience members had collapsed, making the audience scramble to the exits, fireworks and smoke went off in the stadium endangering the players and staff before bombs went off in the parking lot. Dib leaned in closer to see three young men wearing gas masks holding up signs: 

**Mothman**

**Be**

**Here At**

**The Ferris Wheel**

**We Are Allies To You**

**BLESSED ARE THE OUTCASTS**

**DOWN WITH SOCIETY**


	4. Plastic Kingdom

**Chapter Four Plastic Kingdom**

  
  
  


Dib didn't understand the message at first, neither did the news reporters who were on the scene, and police officers shrugged it off as a malicious prank made by young daredevils to scare the public.

Dib decided to leave on his own to the only empty theme park that had the largest Ferris wheel in the area. Dib was aware of rumors of teenagers retreating there after school or work, but he wondered if they were like minded instead of baiting him. Dib kept his gun and brought his bag with him filled with extra ammo before he left to see this group. _Funny's Fun World_ was run down, yet there were cars and bikes parked in the parking lot, and Dib noticed teenagers both in highschool and middle school ran rampant here and helped to provide self sufficiency with a garden, a large tent, a big haunted house was made into bunkers, and there were lookouts on the plastic rabbit statues. Dib was about to open the gate till the young man at the ticket booth pulled out a rifle and aimed at him. 

" _Oh no you don't!"_ the teen said, "You got an appointment with Vice?!"

"I was invited…" Dib replied, putting his hands on his top of his head, "I'm Mothman."

"Tch, yeah right, and I'm Spiderman. You're the fifth Mothman to come over. My boss was invited to a hotel from someone named Zim to see a Dib after he won this forum game." 

"I'm Dib. I promise. I'm from the Hotel Helena Rose." 

"That piece of shit building?! That's your state of business?!" 

Dib gave a light chuckle, "Hey, this old theme park isn't exactly a spring chicken either, is it?" Dib ignored the perplexed confusion the other had, "Never mind, can I meet Vice now?" 

"Yeah fine...he's in the manager office," the teen grumbled. 

"Uh, what should I call you, booth boy?" Dib asked. The young man propped the rifle back against the wall, before looking at Dib. 

"I don't have to tell you...but my nickname is Cheeks." 

Dib had to admit, he stifled giggles at hearing that, but Cheeks noticed his reaction and groaned, pulling a lever to let Dib in. Cheeks swapped his shift with another boy his age and led Dib to a two story building not far from a handmade pink fairytale castle ride. Cheeks gestured to it as Dib looked in awe that it was decorated in morals and spray paint. 

"You want some advice, Dib?" Cheeks offered, "Don't get on my boss' bad side. Vice might be a calm mofo, but he has a short fuse; don't waste his time, and also...don't bother backstabbing him. Trust me on this, he's got two other men who are basically his two right hands, Sin and Snake. They'll kill you first before you can pull _anything._ "

"Did they kill anybody?" 

Cheeks shrugged, "There's a reason why edge lord bullies that drive here aren't heard from again. Vice says it feels like taking out the trash, only the trash bags are given to you and you get to tear them open! I mean, we have to clean the floors with bleach once a month…" Dib could feed a rock in his throat. Vice wasn't playing around and he was ahead than Dib, "You gonna go in?" 

Dib never understood the pit in his stomach until he realized Vice was in a whole different league than he was, making his subordinates call to him on TV through a sign and he was certain if he wasn't able to see it then Vice would have adjusted his plans. Vice acquired this place and made it his own, and Dib was amazed at the progress. Dib hesitantly walked inside the managers office and saw a young man in a red blazer with black sunglasses, smoking a rolled up blunt and puffed. He was looking through his smartphone with his legs on the office table, with his free hand tapping against the arm of the chair. Dib chuckled nervously, "Um, are you Vice?" he asked.

"Tch, no, I'm Snake...who the fuck are you?" Snake scoffed. 

"I'm Mothman," Dib replied, "My second in command made that forum game to hunt recruits for our favor." Snake paused and gazed up at Dib. 

"No shit?" Snake said, "You an outcast too?" 

Dib nodded, "I'm holding one of my bullies hostage at my base, if you guys don't believe me I can show you to the cell he's in. I've been teased and bullied for a long while...sometimes shoved into crazy buckets and straight jackets, ever since I was twelve. So, please, let me meet your boss…" Snake placed his phone away before putting out a small hammer, he lazily hit the large bell behind him. There was a sound of loud exasperated groaning before a door slammed open from above. 

"Vice, stop being a lazy butt munch and get the fuck down here!" Snake called. 

"Stupid stoner fucker…" Vice grumbled from the second floor. Vice looked no different than Dib, he was leather clad and had chains off his pants, and his boots looked as if they concealed an extra pack for guns on the other side, snuggled against his socks. Vice's messy black hair and leather appearance made him look like a punk, but his air about him was different. Vice carried the air of authority, and Dib just had a sense that he was well organized despite appearances. 

"Um, may I ask how old are you?" Dib shyly asked. Snake broke into immature giggles.

"Shut it, Snake," Vice snapped, "I'm twenty. I made this place when I was seventeen." 

"Oh, uh, I'm eighteen…" Dib added. 

"Bruh, I think Mothman is hitting on you," Snake commented, causing Vice to kick the lever of the chair. Snake felt his head slam against the wall, "Ack-!" 

"Sorry about my right hand," Vice groaned, "So, you're the one who's also planning an outcast army. How far are you?"

"I got one bully as a hostage, three recruits with a fourth on the way, got living areas, prison cells and an underground bunker." 

"So...you got your structure but you're barely off the ground. Look Mothman, it took me three years to get my place running, to get comrades who would work for me. How long are you hoping to start this takeover?" 

Dib sighed, "I was hoping next year." Vice and Snakes eyes widened. 

"Next year?! So close?!" Vice exclaimed. 

"If we don't make a statement by then, who's going to take our demands seriously, Vice?" 

Vice rubbed his face in exasperation, "I admire your confidence in all this. Even if you're just a goddamned baby leader; but we're not here to discuss that. I want to do an alliance, have your group and my group be joined together to get things done fast. We can contact each other over our phones, give supplies, that sorta shit. So, you want to join? You'll get more men that way and, look at it this way, 

you want to make bullies tremble and make them piss their fucking pants...have me there with you. We're going to be like...the harbingers of the bully world." 

"Fine, I agree but under one condition...no _backstabbing._ " 

Vice chuckled, "What, you don't trust me?" 

"We're both leaders aren't we?" Dib pointed out, "We both get an expansion out of this; I imagine this is more beneficial on your end because you can accommodate my fortress." 

Vice shrugged, "Hey, as long as you don't go backstabbing me. I'm fine with that," he sighed, "Snake, get Sin on the phone. Let him know we have Mothman as an ally." 

  
  
  


Scout was amazed to find Mouse at the hotel, being almost completely despondent and a husk of herself. Zim had made her experience a form of sound torture in her punishment room, but Mouse was reluctant to describe what she heard before pleading to Zim to never take her back to the punishment room. Zim was silent for a moment but agreed once he noticed she had deeply regretted her actions. Scout did her best as she could possibly do to comfort Mouse, even giving her a mint to suck on. "What did she do...what did she do?!" Scout asked, doing her best to hold back tears. Zim sighed. 

"She put Dib in unnecessary danger because she acted on her own. Dib might have trouble putting his soldiers through discipline, but _I'm_ not Dib," Zim explained, "Whoever acts out of line, I'll put them back in!"

"But she's just fifteen!" Scout retorted.

Zim burst out laughing, "Meanwhile I do care about your fragile human bodies, it was of your own choice to work for us. What matters in the end of all this, is our result to make these _bullies_ suffer. Dib plans to do it at a wider scale!" he leaned over to Scout, "Do you understand _why_ I'm so harsh on Mouse now? If one tiny thing goes awry, it would jeopardize everything!" Scout looked conflicted but she nodded in agreement; her head ringing when she heard Zim's phone go off and he quickly answered it. "Dib?!" he exclaimed.

"Uh, yeah, hey...good news," Dib said on the other line, "I got us new allies, and they have their own little village of the sorts. They live at the abandoned Funny's Fun World and they agreed to—"

" _WAIT!_ You agreed to new allies without _Zim_ present to look over things?!"

"Well, of course, I mean...you hate doing any paperwork and—"

"That's not the point, you stupid human! _You went without ME?! MEEEEE?!"_

Dib sighed, "Anyway, Vice, Snake and Sin are going to work with us and provide supplies. We're expecting extra soldiers by tomorrow, and supplies and an extra supply of medicine. Vice might visit soon, but he's a bit held up by a job and college, and well, that's all I can report." Zim felt his lips purse with jealousy.

"Who...is Vice? Their leader?" he asked.

"Yeah! Aren't you happy I just got us a major advantage?" Dib replied ecstatically, "As long as we get enough outcast and, you know, pull out the weeds...I think we can start our big gig we were discussing." 

"You wishing to conquer so quickly is admirable...but you forget, we still have some obstacles to get over. I know you humans start to get desperate, and that's the case here. We also have the military to worry about." 

Dib paused, "Then this will be a fun future game of war, huh?" 

Zim gave a light chuckle, "Fun for you maybe but it certainly means more work for me, but, err...we still have a problem to _deal with."_

  
  


Sara wasn't in a severe critical condition, but her behavior had grown to be erratic after her fall. She didn't recognize her doctors, and she lashed out at her parents, thinking they were planning to throw her down a hole which confused them. Doctor Valen politely asked if she was going through any problems at home to cause this behavior, and her parents denied it. "Where's her rosary, where's her phone?" Sara's mother asked, "Surely someone did this, it's foul play! Sara wouldn't just...toss her things!"

"Brain trauma can cause memory problems, or mood changes. There are good odds she was just...confused about her items, and threw them away somewhere," Valen explained. 

"Including her phone?! That doesn't make any sense! Even when your mood changes, you don't just toss an important item like that!"

"Maybe in her state she just thought her phone wasn't hers, either way, it was no longer on her when the EMT examined her," Valen replied, "Look, ma'am, I'm not an investigator, nor a cop. If you feel your daughter has been a victim of foul play, then please make a case. I'll offer a copy of her condition when it's needed, but for now Sara needs to be monitored and treated." 

She pursed her lips, "Did she say anything?" 

"Hmm...nothing coherent…I'm sure it's due to having cerebral problems, but she claims there are demons at her school. Does Sara have any enemies that would hurt her this way?" 

"No! Oh, but, she is friends with a boy named Robert. He can be pretty rough. He doesn't know his strength," Sara's mother was fuming. She had thoughts running through her head of Rob hitting her in the middle of a playful tease, accidentally causing her to fall and...ohh, her poor little girl was treated like a rag doll. She was friends with Rob's father, a gruff looking hairy man who Dib accused of being a yeti. "Excuse me, I need to make a call," Sara's mother said, taking out her phone.

  
  


Rob's father was typically on his side, he had no clue about his son being a bully ever since Miss Bitterz class; but after the phone call from Sara's mom, he met a nasty surprise of walking home from school alone. Rob barely had time to explain himself as he was barraged with hits with his father screaming " **Why did you do that?!** " in a furor. Rob eventually ended up sitting on the couch, his knees to his chest, and his forehead peppered with pink bruises. 

"I thought you said you and Sara were close, I didn't expect you to hurt her so badly she would—" his father huffed, "Was it Torque who encouraged you to be this way? I told you he would be a bad influence."

"No! I didn't lay a finger on Sara!" Rob said hastily, "It was Dib! You know Dib?! That big headed freak who called you a yeti?! He's the bastard who got Sara hurt, not me! Sara...Sara's my best friend...I could never…" 

"Stop blaming Dib for everything, it's getting old, especially when you're in highschool now. Just explain to me what happened, and stop lying," Rob's father replied sternly, "I don't want to hear you blaming that Dib kid again, for once in your damn life take responsibility for your actions!" Rob flinched, feeling tears start to swell. He couldn't believe that his father didn't believe him. Rob ended up grounded, with his phone taken away. Rob tried his best to hide how he was at school, but he ended up confessing that he had picked on Dib. Rob never did confess to the accusation that he hurt Sara, but he felt the cracks in his mind telling him if he did confess he would be off the hook; but, what about the school?! What would they think if word caught on to this. Rob started sobbing. Dib brought him to this, to punish him, once Rob returned to school he was determined to make Dib pay for ruining everything. 

  
  


"Rob isn't in school today," Dib told Zim, "That's new...heard any news about it?" he asked, sitting next to Zim at the campus stairs as he ate a breakfast sandwich with a plastic coffee cup at his side. Zim was cupping his cheek and fuming about the whole alliance with Vice before he spoke up. Zim sighed, drinking his own cup of coffee before he replied to Dib. 

"Apparently Rob's parental unit thinks it was him that hurt Sara and not you...the school is starting to believe it too," Zim handed him the flier, "Either the school doesn't want to mess with you, or they always hated Rob, they just started putting these all over the school. Looks like you're not the most vulnerable bully target anymore...Rob is."

Dib looked at the poster, it was a photo of Rob from the school album with **DOWN WITH YETI BOY** on it. Dib burst out into laughter at his luck. It was amazing. Dib had endured bullying from students he had never met, and now Rob was the newest target because he was far more easier to deal with than Dib and Heavy. 

"So Rob can't do shit!" Dib laughed, "He can't touch me at all!"

"What ever happened to putting him in one of our cells?" Zim inquired, "I am quite happy that Rob is in trouble; but this will get worse over time. You know how volatile Rob is! He could've hurt you just as badly if the teachers didn't intervene!" 

"But we can use this situation to our advantage, we just need to put Rob in a corner, push him as hard as we could, and watch him get really desperate. Rob's nothing but a wild animal, and we can trap him, besides...Rob's a nobody. No ones going to notice he disappeared." 

Zim glared, "Your peers won't notice but the earth officials will. They've been patrolling lately. We can't just snatch who we want easily, this is what I meant over the phone; not to mention at one point we might have to deal with your _father._ " Dib stopped drinking his coffee and looked at him. 

"What about my dad?" 

"You know how he is! The moment he catches wind of this, this will put everything we worked for in jeopardy. He's your father, he will retaliate; something must be done to stop him." 

"But...even if...well...um…" Dib stammered, unsure to disagree or not. Dib couldn't just argue back that because they were related, that Membrane was his father, he couldn't hurt him which was untrue. Dib was still angry about what happened during Halloween years ago, yes, if it was for the best then Membrane would not hesitate. Membrane was doing his best to make up for the past, but...oh, the scientist would probably put up his fist if Dib tried anything to fight him. Membrane had far more experience under his belt. 

"You see what I mean?!" Zim exclaimed, "As long as these humans put up a fight, it's not gonna be easy. If anything, we best start on training an army soon, and start hurting the top authorities where it hurts the most. I suggest we take over Membrane Labs at a point...it's got more than enough armor on it and has a wing for rest and food. We can also be able to build more machines there, and weapons that don't need ammo."

  
  
  



	5. Masks

**Chapter Five Masks**

  
  
  
  


Vice, Snake, and Sin eventually visited Dib's hotel fortress; with Vice and Dib talking ideas over as if they were running a business not an army meanwhile Snake examined the recruits, and Sin made a map of the building both on paper and on his laptop. Sin didn't look much different from Snake or Vice, he looked like a normal highschool student, or was in College. Sin had his hair dyed a dark blue, and walked around in a hoodie and denim shorts, with dirty camouflage sneakers. Sin looked less than professional, but Vice told Dib that Sin was holding two jobs despite his age; because of Sin's notoriety for being lanky, he met his fair share of being bullied. Sin might've been the last to join, but out of the three, Sin was the coldest. Zim felt himself not enjoying the company of the three young men as Dib was. Zim chalked it up to hormones, or human infatuation, mostly in direction to Vice. Zim couldn't help but feel his skin crawl when Vice felt a little too close. 

"What's up with you?" Snake inquired, noticing Zim's scowl when Vice and Dib broke into laughter over one of Dib's stories.

"Nothing, Snake human…" Zim growled.

"That face doesn't look like nothing," Snake raised an eyebrow and chuckled once he noticed Zim's view, "Ohhh, I get it. Vice is sneaking up on your territory?" Zim looked perplexed.

"Territory? Vice is in the building already."

"No, no, are you and Mothman an item?" 

Zim said nothing, looking even more confused by the other teenager's metaphors and slang as if Snake was speaking a dead language. Snake rolled his eyes.

" _ Dating?  _ Are you and Mothman  _ dating?"  _ Snake spoke more slowly and emphasized his words. Zim was caught off guard by such a question. He didn't see their partnership to conquer anything beyond that, it was just that, partnership without intimacy; but Zim couldn't stray away from the little voice in his head that reminded him of the recent small flutters here and there; besides, he felt it was impossible. Dib was extremely hard to read at this point, and Zim was reluctant to ask. 

"We're not," Zim wasn't hoping the slightest of disappointment could be shielded by a firm tone, but Snake saw through it. 

"Do you want him?" 

Zim scoffed, "Are you always so nosy over your allies' life?" 

Snake shrugged, looking bashful, "I just mean, you and Dib go to the same school. You never talked about hot students or any crushes?" 

"I'm not interested in that type of talk!" 

Snake shook his head, before walking to talk with Sin. Zim sighed, feeling exposed (at least skin deep) before dragging Dib away from Vice, and excusing himself. Zim shoved Dib into the nearest bedroom, locking the door before pushing him into the bed, fuming. 

Dib scoffed. He hadn't seen Zim so worked up before. Dib remembered how at least Zim was sticking with the plans, and it felt strange that now was the time for the second in command to get emotional. 

"What are you snarling over?" Dib asked, "In case you didn't notice, I was talking to Vice about brainstorming a plan to make use of my father's lab." 

"Yes? What did the Vice human say?" Zim asked in return much to Dib's frustration.

"He disagrees with you. It's much too early to storm a place that big with that much security…" 

"You agree with him instead of me?" 

"Under these circumstances, yes." 

Zim sighed as he finally felt his body give in. He laid down next to Dib in exhaustion; he had always worked too hard with the means to keep the group well prepared. Dib was the one who handled the diplomatic side, while Zim delved into the heavy labor work of plans and planning. He was used to working without breaks, but now it was taking a toll on him. It didn't help that Dib was in favor of listening to Vice. Dib noticed Zim's expression and gave a wry smile, "Do you want a vacation?" 

"You're asking your right hand this, really?" Zim's tired expression never left his face, and his antenna seemed to have lost all energy as well as they sagged. "I can't…" Zim added, "Not after we come so far…" 

"Zim, it'll be a small week vacation. I'll bring Vice, Sin, and Snake to come with us. You know, so the five of us leaders can get used to each other." 

Zim winced at the mention of Vice, but he did want to prove Snake wrong that there was nothing between himself and Dib, "Fine," he said plainly, "Are we camping?" 

"Uh, we might…" Dib replied.

Zim stretched, "I want to stay in a hotel," he breathed.

"We can't, remember, cameras?" 

Zim glared, sitting up. He had forgotten the humans installed many surveillance cameras over the years, and that included establishments like hotels, motels and inns in some areas; but, he was feeling fussy and wanted air conditioning and wanted at least a clean bed. If they were going to sleep in a cabin, or even the vehicle Zim couldn't complain at that point. Zim begrudgingly agreed despite every fiber of his being protest against it. He couldn't trust the three, and Snake was a bad influence. Dib ignored Zim's suspicious stare as he discussed with Vice over the arrangements over his phone.

  
  
  


The drive was four hours in an old van with Dib in the passenger seat next to Vice, meanwhile Zim was squeezed in the back seating in between Sin and Snake. Zim couldn't stand the smell of human drugs that seemed to be infused into the leather, and it didn't help that Snake was already puffing. Dib had joined in early, smoking his drug laced incense cigarette with the window rolled down, and he didn't mind his ears were slightly ringing from the blare of Black Metal music that was Snake's personal CD. Zim couldn't focus once the screaming got to his antenna, as did the lingering smoke. He clutched his head, groaning in pain; Vice noticed Zim's discomfort and turned the music off. Snake was bristled. 

"You can't Screamo for shit," Vice commented.

"At least I can sing…" Snake said rolling his eyes, "Hey Mothman, wanna try my stash?" he offered the rolled up cigarette. Zim slapped his hand away before Dib could even touch it.

"Get that away from him!" 

Snake looked exasperated, "You and Vice are buzzkillers. How about you, Sin, wanna try?" Sin glanced at Snake as he read through a magazine. 

"I'm not putting  _ that  _ in my mouth," Sin said bluntly. 

"Oh fuck this goddamned motherfucking sausage fest," Snake sputtered. 

Dib chuckled a little. He had to admit, this was the first time he had fun in years; even if it was just the drive itself. "So, where are we going?" Dib asked as he snuffed out his cigarette. Vice silently shrugged before speaking. 

"We're going to a spot in a little suburbia...think of it as a forest next to a neighborhood with a big lot with no signs, and a big house. There's a parking spot and I kinda own it because of my dad," Vice explained, "Snake, Sin and I come here for off time; just, you know, for drinking beers and discussing plans." 

Zim looked distracted by the time they took another curb. He seemed to recognize the street by noticing the name on the plaque. Vice was pulling into a row of houses on each side that now led to the lot before Zim noticed a young woman on the street, who now caught his gaze. Zim and Dib recognized the style of the striped purple dress, and wave shaped purple hair that was held back by a black hairband. She rushed in front of their van much to Zim's dismay. Vice slammed the brake, and the five were nearly rocked off their seats when the van screeched to a painful halt. 

"Oh, great,  _ she  _ lives here," Dib said, sounding annoyed, as he adjusted his glasses.

The young woman in the purple dress went to the passenger side of the van. She smiled warmly at Dib who could only give a scowl. "Zim! Dib! I haven't seen you in ages!" she said, "It's me, Zita, remember?" 

"Oh, yeah, the teacher's pet who gladly made Miss Bitters treatment extra painful for me," Dib replied. 

"You guys on a trip or something? Why don't you stay over at my house for a bit? My new house has tons of room!" 

Dib groaned. Vice shrugged. "I do need to refill the gas soon, and I'm sure all of us can use a bathroom break," Vice said. 

Zita pointed at a three story house in between two smaller houses, they were comfortably snug on concrete hills with black gates or wooden fences. Vice followed Zita's directions where to park. Dib would've preferred running her over, but he did feel grateful that she was offering them to stay a while; when the others followed Zita inside, Dib was stopped by Zim. Zim had grabbed his shoulders with an apologetic look on his face.

"Can you...do me a favor?" Zim squeaked.

Dib leered at him, "What?" he snarled.

"Out of...all your disgusting human filth classmates that need to be tortured, disposed, or humiliated. Can you please let Zita be an... _ exception?"  _ Zim pleaded.

Dib shoved him, "Why should I?! That teacher's pet has been on my blacklists for years! Why should I immune Zita from everyone else?!" he retorted, albeit aggressively.

"She was...she was kind to me...the...the few times I was in your class…" 

"Only because of your spoon feeding lies. She at least  _ pitied  _ you," Dib hissed. 

"But she…" Zim stammered. 

Dib coldly left inside the house and sat on the couch, Zim reluctantly followed but kept his distance, as he leaned against the wall. Zita gave an awkward smile to Dib as she offered him a glass of water. 

Dib carefully took it while eyeing her, as if he was given a dangerous chemical instead of water. Zita winced at the reaction, and sighed; she started heading to the kitchen to cook but noticed Vice was already preparing a meal. Zita went back to the living room and dragged Zim with her to the backyard. She hid themselves into the shed and made sure the blinds were covered. 

"Please tell me, what's going on," Zita said, "Why is Dib...like this now?"

"You really expect me to answer that when you already know?" Zim replied. Zita looked down with guilt. 

"Okay, I wasn't the nicest kid during grade school," Zita admitted, "But, I'm trying to make up for that now." 

"Are you?"

"Well, I'm trying to. I thought...I was at least putting him with the right help," Zita replied, awkwardly, "When I was twelve, but I was sometimes...caught in the wave. I just joined in humiliating Dib because everyone was doing it too. I...I know it's still horrible for what I did and I  _ really  _ regret it." 

Zim rubbed his eyes. "You should be telling Dib this," Zim said. 

"Y-yeah…" Zita squeaked. Zim started leaving the shed but felt Zita pull him back startling him. "W-wait, I have something to tell you…!" Zita stammered. Zim felt irritated and pulled his arm back. 

"Tell me later," Zim insisted before he recognized the sound of heavy footsteps outside. He yelped when Dib walked in. He glared daggers at Zita. 

"What are you talking about with him?" 

Zita's legs trembled, "N-nothing...i-it's nothing, really," she stammered, "Why are you so mad I'm talking with Zim anyway? He's just as much a classmate as you were to me. The three of us were in Bitters' class!" 

Dib rolled his eyes, "Just because we were classmates doesn't mean we're friends, Zita. I don't remember you ever believing me, or helping me! Miss Bitters treated you like a daughter, while I was constantly flung into mental institutions. I never forgot about Halloween...and all those other times," Dib leaned over her, grabbing her by the collar, "Did it feel good damning me to institutions where other boys were being mentally tortured?!" Dib shouted.

Zim felt something in him break when Zita started whimpering. "Please, Dib, please...I-I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...I had no idea," Zita wept, "I just wanted to make sure you got help…" 

" _ Help? HELP?!"  _ Dib repeated, the words dripping venom, "The  _ Crazy House for Boys  _ was considered helpful to you?!" he threw her onto the ground in a rage. He picked up a spade in the corner but Zim rammed him into the wall, before pinning him. 

"Spare her! Spare her!" Zim yelled, "Look Dib, she regrets everything, and she's frightened. Isn't that enough revenge for you?" 

"Why are you so hung up on this bitch anyway?!" Dib snapped. 

"Dib, I understand how you feel, I do...but unlike Torque, Zita is not an enemy," Zim felt his lips quivering as he spoke. He felt so small compared to Dib. Dib was slowly evolving into a monster, and Zim was grappling him by the horns. "Just this once...let her go," Zim said, speaking softly.

Dib laughed harshly, "Hearing that from you, that's freaking rich," he spat but threw the spade aside, "Never thought  _ space boy  _ would become so soft over someone."

Zita slowly looked up at Dib, shaking, "Why...why are you…" she stuttered, "Why are you so horrib—" Zim put his palm over her mouth. He shook his head and silently watched Dib leave the shed. Zim slowly took his palm away from her mouth, and Zita hugged him tightly. She sobbed into his chest; her cries sounded painful and harsh as she left a puddle on his shirt. 

  
  


Dib was in a bad mood by the time he made his way back inside; Vice, Snake and Sin were eating dinner off their plates, and Vice offered Dib one. "I'm not hungry," Dib grunted, and sat down trying to light another cigarette. Vice looked livid at Dib's decline for a meal and walked to be beside him, placing the plate in front of him, and shoving a spoonful in his mouth to get the point across to Dib. Snake giggled at the sight. 

"Bro, you should have baby-bird it," Snake teased, opening his mouth and wagging his tongue, "Mouth to mouth, and tongue!  _ Aaaaaa! _ " 

"You're seventeen, Snake," Sin said, kicking Snake's boot, "Act like it." 

Dib broke into brief coughs but swallowed, glaring up at Vice. "What was that for?!" Dib said, rubbing his throat.

"You need to eat, as a leader, you need to concentrate on your well being…" Vice said and gave Dib his plate, "If we plan on making this world go on a bent knee for us, we need the energy. That's just how it is, Mothman." Dib glared but felt himself cave in, Vice was stern and had a point. He remembered what Cheeks said about his bad mood and decided to stay off it, despite himself feeling sour from seeing Zim be protective of Zita. The fact they coincidentally drove into her street just made Dib made him angry about the whole thing. 

Zita tiredly walked into the house from the back door, excusing herself as she went upstairs much to the shock of Vice, Snake and Sin. Zim followed after looking just as emotionally tired. He took his plate, and barely ate from it. Vice raised an eyebrow and looked at Dib, remembering he had walked in first. "So...you two have a history I take it?" Vice said, looking at Dib. Dib let out a growl.

"It's not exactly a  _ history,  _ or anything. She's...she's one of my worst classmates from grade school," Dib explained bitterly, "Allowing Miss Bitters to treat me badly, never standing up to me, she even allowed me to be sent to a...an institution, The Crazy House for Boys, the day before Halloween!" 

Snake looked up, "I was sent there…" he said.

Dib was caught off guard and looked at Snake, "You...you were?" he exclaimed.

"It was in another district or county, but yeah, I was sent there…" Snake sighed, "I remember lots of chords screwed to me, a lot of dials for needles to plug into my brain. I don't remember much, I was in there for a year—comatose." 

Zim felt he could barely contain his nerves, he could feel the oppressive air from Dib and Snake. These two were no doubt seeking to break Zita down. Zim slammed his fists on the table, "The Zita human regrets hurting you, Dib! I told you, she has gone through enough!" Zim yelled only to be blindsided when Dib punched him. Zim felt his head bump on the floor, and the room was spinning. 

"You can defend her all you want, Zim!" Dib shouted, "But you as second command know I can't exempt her! You were there when she allowed Miss Bitters to use that  _ fucking card!"  _

Snake smirked, "Hey if you two can't choose how to deal with Zita. I can do it," he offered. Zim's eyes widened. 

"You're not doing anything—" Zim started but felt Dib cover his mouth.

"Are you that infatuated with a stupid teachers pet who's been using you?!" Dib sputtered, "Has Zita ever saved you from your other bullies, did she even stand up for you once aside from me?! Zita is two faced!" 

Zim slapped his palm away, breaking into coughs. Vice looked just as interested in the whole matter regarding Zita."Well, there's only one way to pull cupid's arrow out of your ass, Zim...we're going to pull it out painfully," Vice smiled down at him, "You get to be part of it," he said.

"Teacher's pet bullies are the worst for me," Snake added.

Zim felt his feelings starting to muddle, he deeply wanted to protect Zita, but something inside started to hurt as if he was suffering chest pains at the expression Dib had on his face. Dib never forgot about that awful Halloween, it just nailed him so deeply that his classmates would coldly allow him into a sketchy institution. Zita did allow it, she even asked for it, and with a plain "yes" Dib was tossed in the back of a padded van. 

Zim slowly stood up, holding his head, "I...I just need rest," he stammered. Zim went upstairs, his nerves rattled and Dib followed after him despite his protests that he didn't want help. 

"So...what the fuck are we gonna do to make Zita prove she's legit or not?" Sin asked, laying back. 

"You're one to talk, Sin," Snake teased, " _ You  _ were a teacher's pet but your class gave you hell for that. Zita sounds like...like...not popular enough but still got a squeaky clean image to hold, ya know?" 

"I'm not pulling blackmail like this. Do you want our hand-prints all over daddy's paperwork?" Sin pointed.

"Who said we ever had to touch shit? You're the tech guy, asshole, break into this house's computer and wear gloves." 

"Shut the fuck up, Snake. I'm no miracle worker," Sin spat, "I can't Mission Impossible this and—" he snapped his fingers, "Bam. Files out?" 

"Then what the hell are you acting like a pussy for? You got into firewalls before," Snake retorted.

"Oh my God, stop arguing, you're giving me a headache," Vice groaned, "Look, we can break her without touching a computer, or hacking. She's young...right? Around Snake or Dib's age?" 

"She's not your type, dude," Snake giggled. 

Vice ignored him, "If she's legit, and really, truly regrets her actions as Zim says, then we have to take it slow. It's like dissecting into a person, if we hit her right and corner her...if she doesn't show guilt, we can sever each piece; but, if she does show her genuine regret, she's legit," he explained, "No blackmail needed." 

"Hey Vice, you forgot one thing," Snake interrupted, "Her types lie easy. They weasel themselves out with crocodile tears." 

Vice chuckled, "Yeah, I know. That's why I have two plans to get into her skin…" he held up an empty beer bottle, "Who wants to watch Zim, Dib and Zita play Truth or Dare?" 

  
  
  


Zim's head had better days. He was feeling nauseous from these new sensations, and he hated how they started to bubble. Zim could barely look Dib in the eyes, as everything felt blurry and confusing. Zim laid on the bed, clutching his forehead with both his palms as Dib gave a quiet reassurance that things were going to be okay. Dib's demeanor had changed drastically when Zim was showing discomfort. Zim was his right hand, and second in command, and Zim couldn't understand why the human was going through such lengths to comfort him like this. Zim sighed, just a moment ago he was punched by Dib...Dib possibly used Zim as a proxy, as he could not wail the same punches onto Zita, but the human looked apologetic for his hostile display. 

"Did I...punch you too hard? I'm sorry, my...everything I feel...I didn't want to see Zita ever again and I feel like...ooohhhh…" Dib moaned with guilt, bordering on tears, "I just...I feel so fucked." 

"You're more mad at Zita than at me?" Zim asked, "Zita did say it was years ago, besides, I made you miserable more than her." 

"Don't give Zita a pass," Dib begged, "We just met her again after a long time. She moved here. We don't know what she's like." 

"But…" 

"Zim, do you like her just as Vice said?" 

"L-like?" Zim asked in confusion.

"Let me put this  _ more  _ bluntly for you," Dib took a deep breath, "Do you  _ love  _ Zita?"

Zim broke into shocked coughs and inhaled and exhaled deeply, " _ LOVE?!"  _ Zim choked out, "Love the Zita human?! I never  _ loved her!"  _ he yelled. Zim was startled when Dib grabbed Zim's collar and brought him close, their faces nearly touching and Zim faintly heard Dib's heartbeat.

"Then why are you so devoted to protecting her, and holding her so tenderly?" Dib whispered, "Does she have you wrapped around her finger that badly? Trying to give her a pink slip to leave her punishment. That's what she  _ wants,  _ Zim. She's using you as her shield and I can't forgive her for that." 

"Do you really think she's been using me?" 

"Do you have any proof that she isn't?" 

Zim's lips curled. "I can't believe you forced me into an...incredulous position…" he sputtered. 

"That's right, Zim, you  _ are  _ being incredulous right now," Dib breathed, "I didn't think you would protect one of my bullies, but to be head over heels over her? Damn, you sure surprised me." 

"I told you that I'm not...I'm not in love with that stupid human!" Zim shouted, his body shaking. Dib felt like he was towering over him now, and Zim again felt small underneath him. He despised the sensations, the nausea and confusion. Zim wanted to activate his limbs and push Dib off, but he was caught in that hot golden gaze. Dib might've had him by his collar, but mentally, Zim was unprepared. 

Dib had turned rotten from the inside, yet he had more mental strength. Zim felt embarrassed and could only gaze up at him. Zim despised pleading, not even a silent one, but he was asking Dib for mercy. "I'm...I don't even recuperate those feelings she has…" Zim added, meekly. 

"If she even or ever had those feelings at all," Dib reminded before letting him go. Zim nearly fell limp on the mattress, and Dib sat down next to him. 

"Dib, about those cigarettes…" Zim started. Dib let out an annoyed guffaw. 

"Are you always going to bring it up?" 

"As a military soldier, I won't stop bringing it up until you quit." 

Dib glared, "Look, even the most downtrodden earth soldier mostly smokes a cigarette to cope—" Zim cut him off. 

"You insult your fellow earth soldiers with such a flimsy excuse!" Zim snapped back, "I might not be from your planet, but this is despicable!" 

Dib sighed, "Fine, look, I'm not smoking right now. I just had it in the van during the long ass drive. I'm not smoking any tonight because my head hurts just as much as yours," he explained, "I don't have plans to smoke anymore more for a while. Holy shit my head feels like it might crack open." 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hi peeps, this is my first work outside of FF.net, and I hope you guys enjoy it. I'm a slow writer and I try so hard to put out quality over quantity fan fiction for people to enjoy. It's my first time handling an evil couple ZADR dynamic, and I just want you peeps to know it's been quite the writing exercise.


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